Businessman enraged by Airbnb boat parties threatened to throw neighbour into Thames
A RETIRED businessman landed in court after exploding with anger at luxury boat owners cashing in on Airbnb outside his idyllic riverside cottage.
Stephen Parsons, 65, was locked in a bitter dispute with neighbours moored on the Thames, just a stone’s throw from Hampton Court Palace.
The former construction boss was furious at owners letting their vessels to paying guests whose noisy party antics were making his life a misery.
But he has now been banned from contacting them after threatening to throw a woman into the river and frightening her family in a terrifying doorstep confrontation.
The previous day he was caught on camera storming out of his £1.2million home to smash up CCTV cameras with a large wooden bat.
The outburst was the culmination of a long-running feud between residents living along the river in East Molesey, south-west London.
They accuse boat owners of running lucrative Airbnb bed and breakfast businesses which can command upwards of £100-a-night.
There is also resentment over attempts to develop Hampton Riviera Boatyard amid acrimonious legal disputes over long-term mooring rights.
Repeated complaints have been made to police, the local council, the Environment Agency and constituency MP Vince Cable. But there is nothing to prevent individuals renting out their cruisers and houseboats for a maximum of 90 nights a year via the US-based website.
After months of wrangling, Parsons finally snapped on January 8, Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court was told. He was fed up with piercing motion sensitive alarms on the boats being regularly triggered accidentally and disturbing his tranquil neighbourhood.
A CCTV camera recorded him smashing cameras, including one protecting the ‘Lucy Aswell’, one of three boats owned by IT consultant Klaus Beversluis, 50.
He was also seen smashing up security equipment owned by flamboyant marina owner 58-year-old Myck Djurberg.
Prosecutor Lydia Marshall Bain said a baton or stick was used ‘four or fives times’ with ‘extreme force’ on the cameras. Mr Beversluis, who was relaxing on another boat with girlfriend Natasha Knight, 46, dialled 999 after being alerted by an app on his phone.
But when officers arrived they arrested him on suspicion of assaulting Parsons’ neighbour, former EastEnders actor Will Chitty – despite him protesting he had been pushed into a bush.
The next day Parsons went to continue the row at Mrs Knight’s home, accompanied by his wife Christine, 64. Giving evidence, Mr Beversluis said: ‘ He shouted: “You’ve made a big f***ing mistake” and forced his way through the door and I tried to push back. I almost couldn’t believe it, it was a surreal experience. He was shouting and was very, very aggressive and if he accessed the property there would have been a lot of damage to humans or property. He was rampaging.
‘He has assaulted us before and threatened to throw Natasha into the river. He was using all of his force, his leg was blocking the door, I couldn’t close it.’
Mr Beversluis said it was a ‘harrowing’ experience for his girlfriend’s sons, aged 12 and 14, with one screaming: ‘Mummy, mummy!’
He added: ‘I felt very, very shaken, very rattled and fearful that he continued to try and push himself into the house despite a child screaming inside, who he could see in front of him.’
Asked about his Airbnb sideline, Mr Beversluis admitted renting out his boats, saying: ‘I don’t think that is illegal in this day and age.’
In his defence, Parsons said he wanted to sound a personal alarm in Mr Beversluis’s face to give him a taste of what the residents endure.
He claimed that the previthe ous night people shone highpowered laser lights through his windows before running off. He said: ‘I said in a calm, clear voice: ‘You made a big mistake attacking my family.’ I tried to set the personal alarm off, but couldn’t get it to work properly.
‘The same two people have alarms at the bottom of my garden that have gone off previous two days. They were so loud all three houses there were continually woken up at night.’
The retired businessman claimed Mr Beversluis damaged his own door, adding: ‘I consider myself the victim and I did not go there hot tempered. I wanted to sort out a long-standing problem. The people in that house were running an illegal bed and breakfast from the boats.’
Convicting Parsons of threatening behaviour and criminal damage to the front door, magistrates banned him from contacting the couple and Mr Djurberg indefinitely.
He was also handed a 12month community order, told to complete 80 hours community service and ordered to pay £100 for the cameras and £150 for the front door.
No further action was taken against Mr Beversluis over his arrest. Parsons admitted damaging the CCTV cameras.
‘He was very aggressive’ ‘I’m the victim here’